1996 Isuzu Trooper Owner Complaints

IT IS A STRONG VEHICLE GOOD PERFORMANCE BUT THE FRAME DOES NOT SUPPORT ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITH THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE ON THE ROADS OR IN EMERGENCY MANEUVERS ALONG THE WAY. DUE TO CORROSION AND RUPTURE IN THE CHASSIS SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONNECTIONS WITH THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS. (POOR QUALITY STEEL) ANOTHER POINT IS A SMELL OF FUEL AND SPILLAGE, BY THE FUEL TANK. (FIRE RISK) ALL THESE CONDITIONS RESULT IN RISK MANAGEMENT, LOOSE VEHICLE CONTROL AND ROLLOVER POSSIBILITY.

NHTSA ID

10993016

Incident

Sep 30, 2016

Mileage

124,567 mi

THE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND FALLING OFF IN CHUNKS. I DIDN'T GET AN INSPECTION DONE IN JAN 2013 BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THE YEAR BEFORE THAT THE RUST IS GETTING BAD. OTHER THAN THE FRAME, THE VEHICLE IS IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION. IT ISN'T A SAFE VEHICLE. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10576400

Incident

Dec 31, 2012

Mileage

72,075 mi

THE ACCELERATOR STICKS. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. MY ONLY OPTION WAS TO CUT THE IGNITION. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 92-95 MODELS, HOWEVER, MINE IS A 96 MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10259379

Incident

Feb 14, 2009

Mileage

180,000 mi

TIRE DELAMINATION. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014384

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

Mileage

118,500 mi

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING HAVING PROBLEM WITH FUEL RAILS. DEALER INSTALL THE WRONG HOSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

10004176

WHILE DRIVING AROUND 25 MPH , CONSUMERS VEHICLE BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STTED THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*SLC

NHTSA ID

8003087

Incident

Jan 26, 2002

I HAVE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM W/ANTIFREEZE SMELL, I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO SHOP SEVERAL TIMES THE LAST HAVING A HOSE TO THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED WHICH SEEMED TO TEMPORARILY REMOVE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR BUT THE SMELL IS COMING BACK. IT TOOK THREE VISITS TO FIND IT THE FIRST TIME.. *AK

NHTSA ID

755233

Incident

Dec 3, 2001

2 LEAKING O-RINGS IN THE WATER OUTLET NECK OF THE CORE CAUSED THE ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO FEEL SICK, RADIATOR LEAKING FROM THE SEAM AT THE TANK NLM

NHTSA ID

560919

ON SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2001 AT ABOUT 9 AM I PULLED INTO THE MOBIL GAS STATION IN CASCADES SHOPPING CENTER, STERLING, VA TO REFUEL. MY TANK WAS ON "E". I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, POPPED THE GAS CAP DOOR OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, EXITED THE CAR AND WALKED AROUND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO REFUEL. I BEGAN TO TURN THE GAS CAP WITH MY RIGHT HAND. AS I DID SO, I HEARD A "HISSING" SOUND AND THEN FLAMES IMMEDIATELY SHOT OUT OF THE TANK. THE BRIGHT ORANGE FLAMES BURNED STEADILY APROXIMATELY 18 INCHES FROM THE VEHICLE FUEL NECK. PEOPLE AT THE STATION BEGAN TO RUN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED MY 18 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER FROM THE VEHICLE AND RAN AWAY WITH HER IN MY ARMS. A BYSTANDER PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A NEARBY EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AFTER THE FIRE WAS OUT. THEY PRONOUNCED THE FIRE OUT AND MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE ISUZU DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. I HAVE SEVERAL WITNESSES WHO SAID THEY HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. THIS COULD BE A POSSIBLE STATIC FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID

742357

Incident

Mar 3, 2001

THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TURN SIGNAL AND FENDER, SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE STILL AT THE DEALER BEING REPAIRED CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT (GENERAL GRABBER ST TIRES P245-70R16). NLM

NHTSA ID

560350

Incident

Aug 6, 2000

AT 40,000 MILES COOLANT FUMES COMMENCED TO COME INTO VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER'S SHOP ON SEVEN OCCASIONS, AND MADE VARIOUS REPAIRS, BUT PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK CONSUMER FIRST COMPLAINED OF AN ANTI-FREEZE SMELL IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND CAB, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT A HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN, HOWEVER DEALER STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG, CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO REPLACED HEAD GASKET, AFTER REPAIR CONSUMER COULD STILL SMELL ANTIFREEZE, IN OCTOBER DEALER FOUND A HOLE IN THE HEATER HOSE AND REPLACED IT, SMELL WAS STILL PRESENT SO CONSUMER HAD ENGINE STEAM CLEANED WHICH STILL DID NOT GET RID OF ODOR, THE ODORS WERE CAUSING CONSUMER'S FACE TO GET NUMB AND CAUSED HIM TO GET SLEEPY, FINALLY 2 ORINGS WERE FOUND LEAKING IN THE PLASTIC NECK OF THE CORE. TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK WHEN AT IDLE, DEALER REPLACED 2 HOSE CLAMPS FOR COOLANT LINES. CRUISE CONTROL CUTS OUT AND ENGINE RACES WHEN GOING UPHILL. *SLC

NHTSA ID

882378

Incident

Apr 6, 2000

TRANSMISSION BLEWOUT REQUIRING TOTAL REPLACEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

739928

Incident

Dec 24, 2000

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ONLY BY SLAMMING AT THE BRAKE PEDAL FORCEFULLY WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO SMOKE. *YH

NHTSA ID

877968

Incident

Jan 8, 2001

ABS SYSTEM CANNOT BE MADE OPERABLE BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT. ISUZU CORP. CAN'T DETERMINE PROBLEM OR SOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

738707

Incident

Nov 1, 1997

SIDEWALL FAILURE IN BOTH ACCIDENTS. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****734337

NHTSA ID

10009851

Incident

Sep 15, 1999

Mileage

60,000 mi

SIDEWALL FAILURE IN BOTH INCIDENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

734337

Incident

Sep 15, 1999

THE LUG: NUTS ARE BEING TORQUE TOO TIGHT, CAUSING THE LUG: NUTS TO FREEZE ONTO THE LUG, WHICH BREAKS IF CHANGING THE TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

864879

CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED 2 TIMES

NHTSA ID

706085

WHEN COMING TO A FULL STOP OR WHEN STARTING ACCELERATING FROM A FULL STOP, THE TRUCK WILL MAKE A NOISE LIKE SOMETHING BUMPED IT FROM THE REAR. I WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBLEM ON THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT WHEN REPORTED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.

NHTSA ID

705078

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

MY '96 ISUZU TROOPER HAS BEEN A LEMON FROM DAY ONE. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS THREE TIMES WITH MY ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKETS. THEY LEAK OIL ONTO MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CAUSING, A NAUSEOUS ODOR. AROUND CHRISTMAS OF 98, I HAD TO USE EVASIVE STEERING MANEUVERS TO AVOID ROCKS IN THE ROAD. WHILE STEERING QUICKLY TO THE LEFT THEN BACK TO THE RIGHT, TROOPER FELT AS IF IT MIGHT ROLLOVER INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED FROM A SO-CALLED WELL ENGINEERED VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO A LONG LIST OF DOCUMENTED PROBLEMS THAT I SHOULD SHARE, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE ROOM. *AK

NHTSA ID

703386

Incident

Dec 27, 1998

FIRST VISIT TO DEALER FOR WARRANTY SERVICE RESULTED IN NOTHING BEING DONE. WAS TOLD THAT TAPPING NOISE WAS A NORMAL ENGINE SOUND, ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WASN'T MAKING THAT SOUND WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW. SECOND VISIT TO DEALER, AFTER ENGINE NOISE BECAME INCREASINGLY LOUDER, RESULTED IN THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION BEING REPLACED. CAR WAS IN SHOP FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS. A THIRD AND FOURTH VISIT FOR THE SAME TAPPING NOISE IN THE ENGINE RESULTED IN MORE TRANSMISSION WORK TO REPLACE A CRACKED FLYWHEEL AND O-RING BEARING, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BE REPLACED NOW THREE TIMES. PROBLEM SEEMS TO RE-OCCUR ABOUT EVERY 5000-7000 MILES. OBVIOUSLY THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. HAS YET TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM AS IT KEEPS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ID

702790

Incident

Jul 15, 1997

ENGINE FAILED.

NHTSA ID

605085

OWNER COMPLAINING TRUCK HAS HANDLING PROBLEMS. THE FRONT VEHICLE HEIGHT NEEDED TO BE REDUCED. TORSION BAR ADJUSTED TO ELIMINATE THE TOP-HEAVY, TIPPY FEELING. ALSO, IT HAS A LOOSE STEERING BOX; EXCESSIVE PLAY BETWEEN THE INPUT AND OUTPUT SHAFTS; CAUSING PRONOUNCED ROAD DRIFT WHEN IT IS WINDY AND CAUSES DRIVER TO OVERSHOOT STEERING INPUT, AT TIMES.

NHTSA ID

780664

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID

604680

Incident

Oct 1, 1996

ENGINE HESITATES AND STALLS.

NHTSA ID

603826

Incident

Jul 2, 1996